California turf horse Thorn Song was put down Aug. 4, 2014, at Alamo Pintado Veterinary Clinic in Los Olivos due to complications of laminitis. The stallion was 11.

A 16.1 hand gray roan with a white snip, he was by Unbridled’s Song out of Festal (Storm Bird).

The horse suffered a career ending tendon injury at Del Mar in July 2009 and developed laminitis. He spent the next year and a half recovering at Alamo Pintado before entering the breeding shed.

Bred in Kentucky by Pinnacle Racing and Taylor Made Farm, Thorn Song was bought by Ahmed Zayat for $200,000 at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds sale. He won eight of 29 starts and earned $1,132,700.

He was feared dead in 2010 after news circulated that Zayat had collected a $2.75 million mortality insurance claim. An independent vet determined the horse met the criteria of the policy, and North American Specialty Insurance Company made the payment.

Still, the veterinary clinic tried a last-ditch stem cell treatment on Thorn Song, and he made an astonishing turnaround, according to Dr. Doug Herthel.

Thorn Song entered stud in 2011 at Harris Farms under ownership of the insurance company.

At the time of his death, no details were provided about his new bout of laminitis.